


A Long Way

by krononan



Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/F, Sharing Body Heat, commission
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:40:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21754636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krononan/pseuds/krononan
Summary: The development of Tavra and Naia's relationship during their journey to the Castle of the Crystal from the podling village.
Relationships: Naia/Tavra (Dark Crystal)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	A Long Way

**Author's Note:**

> A commission! Loved this one, always love writing wlw. Enjoy!

Tavra frowned as she made her way through the forest. The Drenchen who had insisted on coming along walked beside her. So far she had proved to be an amicable enough travel partner, for a Drenchen. The castle was still far yet, and they had to stay aware. The Skeksis were cunning, and Tavra would not put it past them to have spread more lies to hinder their journey. Although the Drenchen was not her first choice of travel companion, she had to admit that it was a nice comfort to have someone to watch her back. The last of the three brothers had long set in the sky as Tavra slowed.

“We should sleep for the night. We won’t make it much further like this.”

The Drenchen gave her a dirty look and shook her head.

“We still have ground to cover. Gurjin is waiting for us.”

“We will get there, but not if we exhaust ourselves first. We can do Gurjin no help that way.”

Naia stared off into the distance with a frown. Tavra shook her head and stepped closer.

“We have a long way to go,” she told Naia.

The Drenchen paused and looked at Tavra for a moment. In that second, Tavra could see far more than anything Naia could ever articulate. Her expression was one of a caged animal, ready to bite at anything that so much as moved before her. Tavra softened and sighed.

“I understand you want to get there. If Brea or Seladon were captured I would feel the same way, but we can’t help him if we aren’t ready for a fight when we get there.”

Naia sighed and rubbed her brow.

“Fine, but if something happens to him, I’m holding you accountable.  _ Vapran _ .”

Tavra half-smiled and nodded.

“I’d expect nothing less, Drenchen.”

Tavra nodded and set off to gather firewood, with thoughts of her sisters heavy in her mind.

When she returned she was shocked to find Naia sitting on a log, absentmindedly plucking up some unidentified insects and eating them. Tavra was aware that Drenchen frequently ate insects and other wildlife, but it still shocked her. The Vapra did not eat meat, and she could not imagine simply eating insects off the forest floor. Part of her was disgusted by the display but another part of her was curious. She approached Naia and sat on the log next to her.

“What do they taste like?”

Naia looked at her with equal measures suspicion and surprise. 

“They taste like hudruds. I don’t know how else to describe them.”

“Are those what they’re called? Hudruds?”

Naia nodded and popped another small beetle into her mouth. 

“You’re eating them.”

“Clearly.”

Tavra sat there for a moment watching the scuttling of the insects. She did not often inspect the smaller creatures of Thra in such a way. They were round, iridescent beetles with legs that seemed far too small for their bodies. Small tufts of green hair sprouted from joints in their carapace. 

“You’re thinking loudly, Vapran. Care to share?”

Tavra shrugged and watched as one scrambled onto the back of her hand. The feeling of it’s small legs tickling her brought a small smile to her face.

“I’m just admiring them. They’re quite beautiful.”

Naia shrugged and ate another. Sensing the other’s tension, Tavra began to work on the fire. She wondered idly what the bugs would taste like. Most likely not good, she concluded after several minutes of thought while her hands assembled the fire. Once a small flame had started, waving to the night sky above them, Naia joined her beside the fire. 

“I’ll take first watch,” Tavra said. 

Naia was surprised, her face momentarily changing before reverting to its previous mask of neutrality. She nodded and began preparing to sleep. The stars winked down to her while Tavra watched the fire crackle in silence.

The next morning was a quiet affair. Neither had gotten much sleep, and their movements were still sluggish from sleep. Tavra busied herself preparing food while Naia cleared up their little campsite. She offered half the meal to Naia, and they ate quickly. Naia sprung up, eager to continue. She extended a hand to Tavra to help her up. The Vapran stared at her outstretched hand before taking it. Naia hauled Tavra up to her feet. It was awkward for a moment as the two of them paused. Standing face to face, it was easy to see that Tavra was much smaller than the Drenchen. Naia had never noticed their height difference. She was eager to begin, aware that every second they waited, Gurjin could be hurt. 

She took off at a brisk pace through the wood, barely looking back for Tavra as she proceeded. They kept up a strong pace throughout the day. The dense curls of the forest and its trees seemed tighter than usual, and the light swirled through the openings to the three brothers. 

“So, what’s it like? In Ha’rar,” Naia asked. 

Tavra looked at her in confusion before shrugging. “It’s nice, in a way. There’s always something to do, Gelfling to see.” Her expression was dismissive as she shrugged. “There are worse places to live.”

Naia chuckled and shook her head.

“What a ringing endorsement.”

Tavra shrugged. “It’s nice enough. Not the nicest place I’ve been, but it is home.” She looked at Naia. “How about Sog? I hear it’s very … warm there.”

While at the beginning of their journey Naia would have snapped at the Vapran, she knew now that she meant no offence by her comment. Naia looked up into the tree canopy and sighed.

“I love it there. It’s beautiful. Sure, it can be a bit hot but nothing that a good swim won’t fix.”

Tavra chuckled. “Vaprans don’t swim.”

“If you say so.”

The rest of the day continued like that, with more idle chatter about their respective lives. As their hike continued, the three brothers set and as usual they set up their camp. Unlike the past two nights, a crisp breeze swept across the forest floor, rustling about the tree leaves. Naia cursed as she attempted to light the night’s fire, having lost the warmth from walking. She shivered and tried to ignore the bubble of frustration in her chest. 

“Damn thing won’t light,” she grumbled, attempting to spark the bundle of tinder in front of her.

“Here, let me. You can focus on getting food,” Tavra sighed, kneeling next to her. The brush of her hand against Naia’s froze them both. Naia was stuck, staring into Tavra’s eyes. She had never noticed how beautiful they were. Tavra taking the flint and steel from her hand startled her out of her thoughts. 

“Oh alright then, but you better get that fire going quick. I think my gills are going to fall off if it gets any colder.”

Tavra, true to her word, managed to get the fire started in time to cook the little rations they had. Naia crouched down close to the blooming flame, hands outstretched. She sighed, and a small cloud of steam escaped. 

“Soggin’ cold out here,” Naia grumbled, and tugged the thin cape around her closer. Without the added warmth of movement, she felt chilled to the core. Even the warmth of the flame could not warm her. Tavra on the other hand looked unfazed by the change in weather, still in her paladin’s uniform. 

“How are you not freezing?”

“It gets colder in Ha’rar. This is nothing.”

Naia shook her head and rested her chin on her knees.

“I’m not built for this.”

Even after eating and curling up in her bedroll Naia could not shake the chill. She shivered, and her teeth clattered as the night grew colder. She could feel her warmth leeching away into the ground beneath her as the wind cut through the fabric of her bedroll. A warm hand on her shoulder jerked her back to reality.

“Naia are you alright? You seem cold,” Tavra said. Her voice was as warm as her hand.

“What do you think?”

Naia rolled over to look at Tavra, whose hand was now pressed against her right shoulder. The Vapran was concerned, looking at her with wide green eyes. 

“Do you have any more blankets?”

“No. I packed light.”

Tavra nodded, looking off into the distance for a second before pulling away and walking off. Naia scowled and rolled back onto her side. She tried to pretend like she did not miss the fading warmth where Tavra’s hand had been. Before long she felt the gentle press of of Tavra’s hand on her shoulder. She laid her travelling cloak over Naia and waved her hand.

“Move over,” she told her, and Naia simply stared at her.

“Why?”

“Because tonight we’re sharing. Since you didn’t pack enough.”

Naia spluttered and fumbled for a response. Tavra gave her one of her more serious looks and she huffed before moving over. The Vapran was thin and the sleeping bag could barely contain the two of them. Naia found that the bag was suddenly much warmer. She fell asleep with the warm press of Tavra’s chest against her back.

The next morning was the most grim of all of the ones they’d spent together. The sight of the Castle of the Crystal looming before them cast a shadow far into the forest. They arrived at the base of the castle and stared into the dark tunnel leading into the depths of the castle. The inside smelled of rot and sewage, but Naia stared into the darkness without fear. Her brother was far too important to turn back because of some trash. She set off into it with one final nod to Tavra.

The catacombs of the castle were as dank and damp as she would have expected. They came to a fork in the pathway. Naia looked down both but saw nothing. She turned to Tavra. 

“I think it’s time we split up. If you make it out, meet me in Stone-In-The-Wood.”

“I will.”

Naia hesitated for a moment, looking down the tunnel. She looked at Tavra, who was staring into the other with a grim certainty. While there was nothing more she would rather have done than stayed with Tavra, she knew that they had come for two different reasons. This was always the outcome. 

“Stay safe,” she told Tavra before turning away.

A warm hand caught her wrist and pulled her backward with surprising force. Her eyes widened as Tavra kissed her. It had the searing heat of a goodbye kiss, of one given in times of high emotion. Naia melted into it, and for one moment, she felt assured that she would see Tavra again. The paladin pulled away and smiled at her.

“I’ll see you at Stone-in-the-Wood.”

“I bet I’ll get there first,” Naia replied and cast one last look at Tavra waving goodbye.


End file.
